The purpose of this research project was an investigation of "environment-related expenses," which during recent years have tended to steadily increase in Japan and other countries owing to the manifestation and growing seriousness of divers environmental problems. This investigation involved conceiving these costs by establishing an original new economic concept called "environmental costs," and, in light of the specific nature of each type of cost, conducting a study dealing with the theory and policy aspects of the cost allocation rules and systems for these costs. In keeping with this purpose, during the first year (1996) of this three-year project I took note of the circumstances defining the various environment-related expenses that have in appeared successively in the United States and Europe, as well as Japan and all other Asian countries and regions, and, while bearing these circumstances in mind, I began by considering how toconceive thesecosts in terms of economics, and from
… More there we proceeded with a preliminary study of a basic theoretical framework for developing an original doctrine of environmental costs. In the second year (1997) I started with that theoretical framework in exploring a cost classification theory for environmental-related expense, and conducted a study for organizing the basic arguments regarding the principles for apportioning the cost burden. In the last year (1998) we carried out studies and research, based on my investigations of the first two years, on specific real-world trends in cost allocation rules and systems for environment-related expenses, and from there proceeded to a basic in quiry for the purpose of developing a policy doctrine on what kinds of cost allocation rules and systems are desirable. Henceforth we intend to pursue research aimed at making concrete policy proposals.上記の目的に沿って、3カ年の研究における第1年度(平成8年度)には、アメリカ、欧州、日本、そしてアジアのいずれの国・地域においても、次々と顕在化してきている各種の「環境関連諸費用」をめぐる現実を念頭におきつつ、まず、それらの諸費用を経済学的にはどのように捉えたらよいかについて検討を加え、そこから独自な「環境コスト」論を展開していくための基本的な理論フレームに関する試論的な考察を進めた。第2年度(平成9年度)においては、その理論フレームにもとづきながら、各種の「環境関連諸費用」に関する費用分類論を検討するとともに、それらの負担原理をめぐる基本的な論点整理のための考察を進めた。そして最終年度(平成10年度)には、以上の考察を踏まえて、各種の「環境関連諸費用」に関する実際の負担ルールや制度をめぐる具体的な現実動向についての調査研究を進め、そこから、あるべき費用負担のルールと制度に関する政策論を展開していくための基礎的な検討を行った。今後、引き続き、具体的な政策提言に向けた研究を進めていきたいと考えている。 Less